


Narutostuck: Culture Shock

by Elizabeth Culmer (edenfalling)



Series: Narutostuck [5]
Category: Homestuck, Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Human/Troll Society, Child Soldiers, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Dystopia, Fifteen Minute Fic, Gen, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Ninja, Unreliable Narrator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 08:45:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4298271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edenfalling/pseuds/Elizabeth%20Culmer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The thing about Abyss, the part no outsider understands, is that it wasn't horrible at all. It was family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Narutostuck: Culture Shock

**Author's Note:**

> This ficlet was inspired by the 6/7/15 [15_minute_ficlets](http://15_minute_ficlets.dreamwidth.org) word #226.

The thing about Abyss, the part no outsider understands, is that it wasn't horrible at all. It was family. The trainees and operatives were all each other's most precious people, and they didn't defect until the Condesce tried to break those bonds.

Yeah, Jade is still missing half her memories from before her induction, and yeah, she has a really interesting collection of scars from the experiments and enhancements, and yeah, it's good that these days she knows where her orders are coming from and can refuse them if she wants...

But really, the revolution didn't change very much! She still has Aradia and Feferi to guard her back, she still has an older operative to guide her, and it's not like she's stopped killing people. Jade is very efficient at assassination. Demoness-sensei approves.

But she can't explain that to John or the rest of her blood relatives (except Jane-san, of course) because then they get upset and treat her like she's a wounded civilian, which is ridiculous and insulting and gives Jade screaming nightmares that she can never quite remember. She never used to have nightmares, back when she and Aradia and Feferi slept all in one bed. Jade sneaks out to her teammates' shared apartment as often as she can, back to a place where the world makes sense and she doesn't have to exhaust herself trying to figure out and build the face her blood relatives want to see.

Jade is fine. She's always been fine. She's going to keep on being fine.

And anyone who tries to take away her family will learn _exactly_ what Abyss built them into.

**Author's Note:**

> Brief contextual notes: Abyss is Kouin's version of Root, but as you can see its deep mental conditioning took a slightly different direction. Also, Jane is Jade's biological mother, but neither of them knows that. (Jane, I think, suspects, but has carefully never looked for proof.) Abyssal operatives are encouraged to have children at least once -- they only get inducted if they have useful affinities or talents, and the hope is that they will pass those on -- but there's no sense in giving biological connections any chance to override conditioned loyalties. Family is more important than blood! So of course operatives volunteer for a mind wipe after a pregnancy. It's obviously the best option for everyone concerned!
> 
> (Kouin was not a pretty place before the revolution.)


End file.
